Caltrans sets Sept. 26 for second public meeting on Albion River Bridge replacement
MENDOCINO CO., 9/20/24 — Caltrans has called a previously unplanned second meeting about its plans to replace the Albion River Bridge. The meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 26 on Zoom and by phone only.
The new meeting was scheduled after residents complained that the option of keeping the old bridge and rehabbing it instead of replacing it was removed from consideration. In 2014-2016, when Caltrans last made a public effort to replace the bridge, the agency promised that it would consider both rehabilitation and replacement. Caltrans said replacement was the only option for the Salmon Creek Bridge, which was expected to be replaced first.
But then lead soil pollution was found under the Salmon Creek Bridge, which was built in 1950, an era when lead-based paints were commonly used to paint bridges. . Albion River Bridge rocketed to the front of Caltrans’ schedule. But when Caltrans restarted the design process, the rehabilitation option had disappeared. Environmental documents said rehabilitation had been reviewed, and Caltrans had decided it was not an option. Locals protested, such as Norbert Dall, who has worked on environmental reports for decades all over the state. Dall asked the state to go back and redo the report to include the same study of environmental and economic impacts that earlier included rehabilitation so at least that option was still on the table. His questions and those of others are why Caltrans is holding the virtual meeting, said Caltrans spokesman Manny Machado, via an email.
“Caltrans received comments requesting more information on the rehabilitation alternatives that were removed. The intent of the meeting is to share information on the rehabilitation alternatives that have been removed from consideration,” Machado wrote.
When Caltrans ended what was planned as the only public meeting on Aug. 13, about 30 people still had their hands up. Will there be chances at the new meeting to discuss whatever those issues may have been?
Machado answered that the intent of the upcoming meeting is to deal with questions about the rehabilitation option.
None of Mendocino’s elected state representatives or supervisor Ted Williams has yet weighed in on the rehab/replacement question or to advocate for more public access, a better bridge, sidewalks to Albion or other issues that were discussed openly in the past.
Caltrans has also extended the public comment period to Oct. 9, 2024. Submit comments to albionbridge@dot.ca.gov.
The Albion River Bridge meeting takes place Thursday, Sept. 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. on Zoom via this link or by phone by calling (404) 418-9388 and using code 2497 042 5576.
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